Clan Strife
by new found indentity
Summary: Cloud and company have unfinished business in Ivalice. FFVII X FFTA. Sorry I took so long guys! Turns out I'd written the third entry some time ago...
1. Chapter 1

"Why here?"

"I already told you, Barret."

"Yea, but it don't make no sense, Cloud! How do you reckon Jenova cells made their way all throughout all these separate dimensions n' all, to wind up at a kooky place like this here Ivalice?"

"Good question…"

"Barret, just quit your bitching already!" said Tifa. "You agreed to come, you're here, so shut your trap for a good five minutes, all right?"

Barret opened his mouth to retort, but Tifa's stare meant one more word could result in a nice smash to the jaw. His mouth closed and instead he polished his mechanical hand.

The three were walking in the streets of a grand city, "the center of this world's civilization," Cloud had called it. The streets were flooded with all sorts of creatures, unfamiliar to the trio: rodent-like moogles, lizard-like bangaa, the beautiful viera, and the humble nu mou.

Cloud had done his research. Never able to rest until he had completely vanquished all the scars that Sephiroth left in his existence, he had stumbled across a book. A mysterious book it was. It had taken him years to decipher, five to be exact.

He knew they would encounter many different races. All were equal in this world. He also knew, that if it were true that Jenova cells existed in this world, that Cyril was the place to start. He had sworn he would rid all worlds of this evil, even if it meant crossing dimensions.

He took the two he trusted most in his world: Tifa, his love, and Barret his most loyal friend (when he wasn't being such a wimp).

They stopped at a busy intersection. In a quirky way, the city reminded them of Midgar, a much brighter Midgar, where in place of technology, there was magic. Cloud described it in his mind as a "prehistoric Midgar."

A small moogle was tugging at Barret's camouflaged pant leg. "Kupopo! What's wrong with your hand, mister?"

Startled, Barret recoiled into the back of Cloud and Tifa, nearly knocking the woman in front of a speeding carriage. Cloud caught her by the blouse and pulled her back just as the vehicle sped past. Turning to Barret he said, "What the hell are you doing?"

Barret was wide eyed and hadn't paid attention to a word Cloud had said. "What the hell does 'kupokipo' mean? I think it's tryin' to talk to me…"

Cloud ran a hand through his spikey blonde hair, letting out a deep sigh. _Maybe I shouldn't have brought him…_

Tifa, recovering from her near death experience, gave Barret another glare, which the tall black man failed to notice, still bewildered by the tiny creature that was now perking its rabbit-like ears up in curiosity.

She too let out a deep sigh and was thought the same as Cloud. _He really is a wimp…_ She let her hand fall to Cloud's shoulder. "So what now?"

Cloud never really made eye contact. The cells Soldier had injected into him had caused his eyes to change color. Making eye contact was showing those that gazed he was a member of Corruption Inc.

"We need to form a clan," he said. "According to the book that's how things are done here. You form a clan and go on missions and stuff. We do that, then go from there."

He took Tifa by the hand and led her across, leaving the tall black man with a mechanical arm to fend for himself in an unfamiliar world, still gaping wide-eyed at the curious little moogle. It was a few moments before he realized his companions had left him.

"Cloud….CLOUD?! Shit… where the hell are ya?"

Cloud and Tifa heard their friends cries from behind, and couldn't help laughing. That was one of the things they shared, they would secretly laugh at Barret's antics. When the game was over, and Cloud felt he'd tortured his friend long enough, he called back. "We're going to the pub. You're welcome to join us, Barret."

Barret whirled around and sprinted down the street after them, out of breath from shock rather than fatigue.

"Try to keep up, Barret," said Tifa with a wink.

The trio turned and headed down the street, heading for a pub called "The Prancing Chocobo."

_Chocobos,_ thought Cloud. _Maybe this place isn't so different…_


	2. Chapter 2

Eyes.

The trio should have been used to this by now. Back in the day wherever they walked a dark look could be felt. But it was nothing like this.

_Every_ eye in the bar was turned towards the motley crew: one tall black mechanical man, one cute thin girl in leather with black hair, and a spiky blonde with a giant sword strapped to his back. No such a thing existed in Ivalice.

They all knew it was best not to make eye contact. Cloud knew if he wanted to, he could take out every single one of those dark stares with one chop of his sword. But that wasn't the goal. The goal was to get information, information on forming a clan.

The three slowly walked towards the counter, as the eyes, rodent, lizard, and humble, all followed. Barret walked behind as if to resemble a "hit man," his eyes darting every which way, left hand polishing the mechanical one.

Cloud approached the bartender, a dark skinned viera in a grey blouse. "Where is your mission board?"

She pointed to the left and the three walked as the stares followed.

The mission board was a mess of pamphlets about everything imaginable. Notices, wanted posters, warrants, treasure quests… Cloud wasn't interested.

He went instead to the "Hired Help" list. It consisted of a long crumpled yellow parchment with names, some crossed out, and addresses to reach them by. Next to each name was listed, race, job class and desired pay.

"We need six members to be considered a clan," said Cloud.

Tifa removed the list from the board and scanned. "They all want at least 200 gil! Do we even have that kind of loot?"

Cloud handed over a decent sized satchel of coins, then quickly put it back in his pocket.

"I don't like this place," said Barret. "Never had so many dark looks…"

"It's because we're not regulars," said Cloud. He had trained this response. "It's the custom of Ivalice."

The three sets of eyes scanned the list. Most of the names had been crossed out. There were maybe a dozen names to choose from.

"We need a mage," Cloud said.

"Why we need a mage when we got materia?" said Barret, whose eyes were still darting every which way.

"Our materia won't work here." Cloud's eyes landed on a black etched name: Bishop. "There's our mage," he said.

"300 gil?" said Tifa.

Barret gave his shifting eyes a rest and snatched the parchment from Tifa. "What's a new mow?"

The pub, which had resumed its bustle and chatter, momentarily stopped and looked at the trio. Cloud grabbed the list while Tifa and Barret looked back, shrinking slightly.

"I think it's best if you don't talk for a while, Barret…" said Tifa.

"Yeah… maybe yer right…"

Cloud continued to scan the list. The name was Bishop Blount, the race nu mou, class white mage, but no address listed. _Smart…_Cloud said in his head.

The scanning of the list continued. There was another intriguing name scribbled in red: Clog, a moogle thief. Tifa pointed at that same name. "Could be useful, you think?" Cloud nodded. He opened his pocket book and jotted down the address.

A hand tapped him on the shoulder, and it didn't have Tifa's gentle touch nor Barret's brash. It was firm and sharp, like an arrow.

Always calm Cloud turned to find that it was the viera bartender. "Drink? On the house?"

"Sure…"Cloud had read in that mysterious book, that the viera brought about them an aura of irresistible attraction, almost hypnotic. Cloud felt that aura. He watched as she trotted back to the counter and filled three mugs.

Tifa noticed this and gave the spiky rogue a nice jab to the ribs.

The viera returned with the mugs, one for each of the trio. "So you're starting a clan?" she said, eyes scanning the crumpled yellow parchment.

"We're looking to, yes," said Tifa, once again jabbing Cloud out of hypnosis.

"Come with me," said the viera. "I have something I want to show you…"


	3. Chapter 3

"What do you want

"What do you want?" said the dark skinned viera. They were in a back lot behind the bar. She leaned against the bricks on the wall, where the shade was, while the trio stood in the sun.

Cloud dipped his head to keep his eyes below the sun. "Want with what?"

"Don't kid yourself. I know you're not from around here. That's obvious. I'm not some new kid on the block."

"You're right, we're not from around here. But what business is it of yours, where we are from or what we want?"

The dark skinned viera sighed. She opened the lid to one of the trash cans next to her and pulled from it a long shimmering black bow and a crimson feathered arrow. Cloud heard Barret tick his mechanical hand to loaded.

"Relax," said the viera. She stepped out from the shade and aimed the bow Cloud estimated close to eighty degrees towards the sky. In a flash she drew back and fired. Barret and Tifa followed the arrow, shielding their eyes from the afternoon sun, while Cloud studied the viera.

Her face was firm, eyes narrow. She had the look of a war veteran. She twitched her head slightly, and her long glistening silver hair continued to rustle.

"I lost it," said Barret.

"Me too," said Tifa.

The two turned when they heard the whoosh and thud of something landing. About sixty yards down the alley, the arrow had struck a rusty can, dead center, completely vertical, with its crimson feathers directly above the ground pointing towards the sky.

Barret turned back, and uncocked his gun. "Point taken."

"How much do you want?" asked Cloud.

The dark skinned viera lifted the lid of the can and carefully rested her weapon back in its place. She then reached in her pocket and pulled out a card, handing it to Cloud.

"Talk to me when you've assembled a crew…" she said. She opened the door to the bar, and the commotion inside could be heard once again. "I'll be here." The door closed.

The card read:

Shara

Assassin for hire…

For the right price.

* * *

"She's good," said Barret. They were out in the streets again, with the sky turning red as the day had grown from afternoon to evening.

"Yea, but we probably can't even afford her," said Tifa.

"Let's not worry about it for now," said Cloud. _She could help us out a lot._ "We need to find an inn before this place gets too dark."

"We're big boys, Cloud, we can handle the dark," said Barret, grinning and polishing his gun.

"This isn't Midgar, Barret," said Tifa. "You don't own every street here. Who knows the kind of crowd that gathers at night…"

Barret grunted.

Cloud looked Barret directly in the eyes, for the first time since they had made the trip. He didn't much appreciate the mechanical man's recklessness. Never had. Now it was time to be firm. "We find an inn, and then start looking for our clan in the morning. We can't afford to lie anything less than low. No one knows we're here and we're keeping it that way. Got it?" Barret grunted again and shook off the spiky blond. "Don't forget what we're here to do."

"Yea, yea…" He clicked his gun on and off.

"You click that gun too enough, you'll start trouble we don't want," said Tifa.

"What can I say, majesty? I'm bored…"

"You-!"

Cloud grabbed Tifa's shoulder. "Just drop it," he whispered. He caressed it and they continued to walk behind the dark mechanical man.

"I'm tired, Cloud…" said Tifa.


End file.
